Quaker girls are up for the challenge from United, Beaver

MIKE BROWN

Correspondent

SALEM — The Salem girls’ track team dominated to win its third straight Columbiana County Track and Field Meet title at Reilly Stadium Tuesday night.

The Quakers finished first with 143 points, while United Local earned the runner-up trophy with 94 points at the 43rd annual girls meet.

“I never single anybody out, I’m all about the whole team and every single person giving it their all,” praised Salem head coach Amie Cochran who was very pleased with the overall effort of the Quakers.

“They stepped up like they always do and I’m just so proud of all of them,” she added.

Salem won five individual firsts on the evening, led by standout Caitlyn Marx who won the High Point Trophy for top girls’ field event performer after scoring 20 team points while winning the shot put (38-10.50) and discus (137-6) crowns. Marx is ranked second in Ohio in the shot put.

“There’s nobody that’s going to outwork her (Marx),” praised Salem throwing coach Bill Neapolitan of what makes Marx so good. “She works and works and works, she’s in the weight room early in the mornings and on Sundays.”

Neapolitan says Marx has prepared well for the upcoming postseason.

“She’s doing all the things she needs to do at this point of the season,” he added.

Marx talked of her outstanding success in the throws as well as her goal for the postseason.

“I definitely want to go to state this year and get on the podium because the last two years I haven’t,” she said. “I want to win it pretty badly.”

Lisbon's Izzy Perez won the 100 and 200 on Tuesday at the county meet in Salem.

The Quakers’ other individual county titles went to the 800 relay of Paige Bailey, Macey Austin, Lydia McKee and Kelly Hutton (1:52.24), Carly Hall (1600 meters, 5:26.39 and 3200 meters, 12:02.59). Hall successfully repeated her county title in the 3200 meters.

“Our throws and our distances are so strong right now,” said Cochran. “I’m so proud of our sprint crew too, I thought they did an amazing job.”

Beaver Local junior Teddi Kinsey won the High Point Running Event Trophy after capturing county titles in the long jump (15-11), 100 hurdles (16.50) and 300 hurdles (48.99). Kinsey successfully repeated as a county champion in the 100 hurdles.

United had a very successful county meet and had four event titles, including the 3200 relay of Ellie Marhefka, Jordan Davis, Loren Swords and Hannah Minor (10:08.50), the 1600 relay of Ellie Marhefka, Jordan Davis, Loren Swords and Hannah Minor (4:20.11), Ellie Marhefka (800 meters, 2:27.96) and Hannah Minor (400 meters, 1:03.02).

Minor, a sophomore, had great county meet which included her first in the 400 meters as well as anchoring the Golden Eagles’ winning 400 and 800 relays.

“I knew I had to finish it out for them (her teammates in the 400 relay),” she said. “My personal split was a 2:22 which was faster by four seconds than my original time and we PR’d by about six seconds. Our goal is to get to state. I’m just really thankful for everyone that has helped us get here.”

East Palestine’s Breanna Struble won the county title in the high jump with a leap of 4-8.

Columbiana’s 400 relay of Augusta Clark, Trinity Strohecker, Julia Rapp and Alexis Stoy also won a county title in a clocking of 53.76.